This invention relates to a novel hand-held calculator and electronic game sharing the same display. More particularly, this invention relates to a hand-held calculator having a programmed data processor for controlling the calculator functions and a display panel. The display panel displays the calculator functions, as is commonly known in the hand-held calculator art, and also displays an electronic game in response to a game in response to a game program stored in the programmed data processor and player controlled game inputs. The calculator portion is at one location on the housing of the game-calculator and the display panel and game inputs are on another portion of the game-calculator. The game-calculator has a sliding mask to cover the calculator portion in a first position of the mask and cover the game control inputs and that portion of the display panel not needed for display of the calculator functions, when the sliding mask is in a second position of the sliding mask.
In the past it has been common to incorporate hand-held calculators into a rectangular, relatively thin housing, having a plurality of calculator inputs in the form of, e.g., a keyboard of input buttons for controlling the calculator functions and also having on the housing a display panel, e.g., a liquid crystal diode display to display the calculator functions. Such hand-held calculators are commonly known on the market, e.g., those designed to be carried in a note holder or checkbook, of the kind manufactured by Sharp, Model No. EL-8149; Unisonic, Model Nos. LC-223CK and LC-224CK; and Casio, Model No. LC-78G.
It has also been known to use a programmed dataprocessor, e.g., a microprocessor, or other suitable large scale integrated circuit data processor, for controlling a liquid crystal diode display, having appropriate selectively illuminated display portions, for the purpose of playing an arcade-type game. This is accomplished in response to a stored program and player input through one or more of the plurality of game inputs in the form of, e.g., push buttons. Such an arcade game incorporated into, e.g., a watch housing is shown in a copending application assigned to the assignee of the present application and having a Ser. No. 270,314, filed on June 4, 1981 in which the present applicant is a co-inventor, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In that watch, the upper portion of the display forms a numerical display for the watch functions, e.g., date, time, etc., and when the game watch is in the game playing mode, is employed to display game-related information, e.g., the game selected, score, and level of difficulty. In the game playing mode the remainder of the display has segments which are selectively illuminated to represent the play of the game.
With the calculators of the kind described above, there is generally no alternative function carried out in response to operator input, through the use of the calculator keyboard input buttons, other than functioning as a calculator. With the game watch of the kind described above, the input buttons are used in the watch mode to control watch functions, e.g., setting the time and date and selecting the display, e.g., time, date, or seconds. Additionally, in the game display mode, the input buttons are used, e.g., in selecting the game and controlling the player inputs to the programmed data processor in response to the manner in which the game is played and the existing display on the display panel.
With the incorporation in the present invention of a calculator and an electronic game in a single hand-held unit, for the convenience of the operator and also for the projection of the game-calculator, the need exists to be able to selectively shield the input buttons for, respectively, the calculator and game input functions, when it is desired operate in, respectively, the game or calculator mode. For example, when the game-calculator of the present invention is to be used in the game mode, the operator might become confused as to which button inputs were for game operation and which button inputs were for the, then inactive, calculator mode. Further, since the game is hand-held, the operator might unduly manipulate the calculator input buttons in grasping the game-calculators, which would not effect the game display, but could result in an inordinate wear and tear on the calculator input keyboard. Further, when the game-calculator is used in the game mode, the entire game display panel is exposed. This display panel, being larger in surface area than a typical calculator display panel, is more susceptible to damage due to inadvertent impact on the surface of the panel. It is thus desirable when the game-calculator is used in the calculator mode, to protect as much as possible of the surface area of the display panel from impact, while still being able to display the calculator functions.
The problems enumerated in the foregoing are not intended to be exhaustive, but, rather, among many which tend to impare the effectiveness of previously known hand-held calculators or electronic games. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that hand-held calculators and electronic games appearing in the art would not be altogether satisfactory if combined into a single hand-held unit.
Recognizing the need for an improvement in hand-held calculators or electronic games where combined into a single housing, it is therefore a general feature of the present invention to provide a novel game-calculator housed in a single unit, which minimizes or reduces the problems of the type previously noted. One feature of the present invention is a sliding mask which slideably engages the housing containing the calculator input keyboard and the display panel and game input buttons, and which selectively covers either the calculator input keyboard or the display panel and game input buttons. The sliding mask also has an opening therein which uncovers a portion of the display panel sufficient to allow display of the calculator functions when the sliding mask is positioned over the portion of the game-calculator housing containing the display panel, but not uncovering any of the calculator inputs on the calculator input keyboard when in the position to cover the calculator input keyboard.
Examples of the more important features of this invention has been given rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will also form the subject of the appended claims. These additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been applied to like elements, in which: